Rebound Bro
Encyclopedia
"Rebound Bro" is the 18th episode of the third season of the How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...

and 62nd overall. It originally aired on May 5, 2008.

Plot

Ted
Ted Mosby
Theodore Evelyn "Ted" Mosby is the titular fictional character of the U.S. television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...

 decides that it is time for his relationship with Stella (Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke
Sarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...

) to take the next step. Stella is strangely reluctant, however, and she tells Ted a secret: she has not had sex for five years. Ted shares this with Marshall
Marshall Eriksen
Marshall Eriksen is a fictional character in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother, created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and portrayed by Jason Segel.-Character profile:Marshall is an easy-going, naive optimist from St. Cloud, Minnesota...

 and Lily
Lily Aldrin
Lillian "Lily" Aldrin is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by American actress Alyson Hannigan. She is the wife of Marshall Eriksen and the best friend of Robin Scherbatsky...

, as he does everything, and when Stella comes over on the night that she was meant to go out with Ted and they accidentally reveal that they know her secret, Stella is upset that Ted betrayed her trust and breaks up with him.

Meanwhile, Barney
Barney Stinson
Barnabas "Barney" Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. The character has been extremely well received by critics and has been credited for much of the show's success...

 tries to find a "Rebound Bro" to whom he can be a wingman to help him get bed women. He misses Ted and, unwilling to admit it, puts applications up on his blog. Receiving few responses except for an enthusiastic proposal from his colleague Randy (Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...

), Barney resorts to calling up old friends and previous wingmen. After many unsuccessful attempts (one already has a wingman, one is married and has settled down, etc.) he decides to be the "Bro" to Randy and give him a chance. Unfortunately, he discovers that Randy hasn't had sex in thirteen years and Barney is repeatedly unsuccessful at getting him together with a woman, since Randy is uncomfortable with talking to women, and gets nosebleeds whenever he gets an erection. Barney is unsuccessful until he enlists Robin's help to make Randy comfortable with small-talk with women, telling Robin that he may have a sex tape with her to convince her to come and help Randy. Barney discovers that Randy was a police officer, albeit one that was fired for incompetence; nevertheless, Barney knows being in the 'force' impresses women, and quickly finds a woman who takes Randy home with her. Barney seems happy until Robin comments that "Ted doesn't know what he's missing". Barney tearfully remarks, "You had to mention Ted, didn't you?"

Stella comes to Ted's house and admits that she broke up with him because she was afraid it was getting too serious and she was looking for a reason not to get too close to him. Ted and Stella's relationship goes even further than expected as Ted meets Stella's daughter and gets to know her. Later, Stella tells Ted that her sister (who was previously meant to take care of Stella's daughter while Stella and Ted had sex) is still in town and can take care of Stella's daughter. Stella and Ted rush to a motel, where they finally consummate their relationship. When Ted jokingly picks up the phone to tell Marshall and Lily about it after the deed is done, Stella pushes him off the bed in an equally lighthearted manner.

Continuity

  • Ted is reminded by Marshall that the last time he had sex was at Thanksgiving
    Thanksgiving
    Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...

    , referring to the night Ted and Robin
    Robin Scherbatsky
    Robin Charles Scherbatsky, Jr. is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Canadian actress Cobie Smulders.- Early life :...

     spent together in "Slapsgiving
    Slapsgiving
    "Slapsgiving" is the 9th episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 53rd overall. It originally aired on November 19, 2007.- Plot :...

    ".
  • When Randy enters Barney's office, he hands him the new issue of Sky Mall
    Sky Mall
    Sky Mall is a specialty publishing firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. SkyMall produces a quarterly in-flight publication, SkyMall, with an annual circulation of approximately 20 million copies distributed in airplane seat pockets...

    magazine. This is a reference to the previous episode where Barney was constantly ordering products from Sky Mall.

Cultural references

  • Things that happened in 2003, the last time Stella had sex:
    • Seabiscuit
      Seabiscuit (film)
      Seabiscuit is a 2003 American biographical film based on the best-selling non-fiction book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand...

      came out in the cinemas.
    • The world was just learning about SARS.
    • The Da Vinci Code
      The Da Vinci Code
      The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery-detective novel written by Dan Brown. It follows symbologist Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu as they investigate a murder in Paris's Louvre Museum and discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to...

      was published.
    • Nell Carter
      Nell Carter
      Nell Carter was an American singer, and film, stage, and television actress. She won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin, as well as an Emmy Award for her reprisal of the role on television...

       died.
  • After Ted describes their intimate plans as Stella's "Virginity: The Sequel," Stella replies, "Virginity 2: Electric Boogaloo?," which is a parody of the title of the 1984 movie, Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
    Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
    Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo is the 1984 sequel to the breakdancing film Breakin. It was first released in the same year as its predecessor by TriStar Pictures, and by Cannon Films the year after...

    .
  • Barney prohibits the use of the word bro in the name of a failed Democratic Vice President candidate, preventing Randy from using Broseph Lieberman
    Joe Lieberman
    Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...

     and Geraldine Ferrarbro
    Geraldine Ferraro
    Geraldine Anne Ferraro was an American attorney, a Democratic Party politician, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. She was the first female Vice Presidential candidate representing a major American political party....

    .

Critical response

Donna Bowman of The AV Club rated the episode A-.
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